News Release
| Release Number: | 04-023 |
| Dated: | 2/5/2004 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
> > Portland, Ore. - An inter-agency meeting has been scheduled so interested citizens can meet one-on-one with members of several state and federal agencies regarding the Jan. 15 mineral oil spill from The Dalles Dam.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Best Western hotel in Hood River, Ore.
This is an opportunity for the public to share its concerns and thoughts with agency representatives and to ask questions about the oil spill and recovery actions.
Represented agencies will include: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Department of Ecology, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
On Jan. 15, the Corps reported a release of oil into the Columbia River to state and federal officials. During the response and recovery operations, it was determined about 2,500 gallons of mineral oil leaked from a frozen water pipe cracking inside a transformer, and that 1,300 gallons of the mineral oil was released into the Columbia River downstream of The Dalles Dam. The oil contained trace amounts of PCBs. The transformer has been drained and no more oil is leaking into the river.
Environmental cleanup crews have completed their work containing and recovering the mineral oil, and have recovered about half of the leaked oil. Shoreline sampling will take place between The Dalles and Bonneville dams. Results of that sampling will determine the need for additional actions.
State biologists conducted surveys of the Columbia River and have not identified any injured or oiled birds or animals. However, about 185 dead shad were found in the area of the spill. A toxicology report is pending to determine the cause of death.